


Rule of Madness

by Leonard_Snart_Robber_of_ATMs



Series: Enslaved [2]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Slavery, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Cruelty, Death, Execution, Father/Daughter Incest, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Incest, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Injury, M/M, Murder, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Post-War, Rape, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual Slavery, Sexual Violence, Slavery, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, Violence, War Crimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2018-12-30 04:49:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12101079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leonard_Snart_Robber_of_ATMs/pseuds/Leonard_Snart_Robber_of_ATMs
Summary: Titanium never left the Decepticons. She suffered the abuse and did as her father told her to. The war ends, and the Decepticons won. Megatron gives Autobot pets to his officers and forces Titanium to get one as a sign of loyalty... Now Titanium is owner of Ratchet, Autobot CMO, and Ratchet is confused as to why she's more afraid of him, than he is of her.





	1. Decepticon Victory

**Author's Note:**

> This was a birthday present for someone I know. :D
> 
> There are references to sex/rape in this story, and while it is NOT ENCOURAGED, it is something that happens, and I'm certain it would've happened to the Autobots at some point if the Decepticons were victorious. If that bothers you, I will try to remember to put a warning up at the top of the chapter before it happens so you can skip it. :) Also, this has a mix of all characters, and is COMPLETELY AU.  
> Please read tags. More will be added as story progresses, and it will be much more detailed than it was in the past.
> 
> Otherwise enjoy.
> 
> **A MECH NAMED SPEEDTRAP WILL APPEAR, HE IS MY OC AND NOT TO BE COPIED, USED, OR REFERRED TOO WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!**

 

Gone... Everything Ratchet had known and loved... Was gone... Nonexistent. He was now a captive of the very faction he had fought against for eons, the Decepticons. And by the looks he was being given, Ratchet felt that his function had taken a turn for the worse. He stood in line with other Autobots... Cliffjumper, Arcee, Bulkhead, Magnus, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Jazz, Prowl, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe... The only one that was missing was Optimus, his offlined frame left to rust somewhere on the battlefield nearby Jasper, Nevada, which was also in ruins.

 

Ratchet vented, cyan blue optics looking over those around him, unsure of what the slag to do now, looking for direction to Prowl and Jazz, but both mechs wouldn't make optic contact with him, Prowl's expression pained and stony, while Jazz looked more depressed and lifeless.

 

All of them were dirty, and some of them injured as they stood before the empty throne of the warlord, able to see the restored Cybertron before them, while images of the destruction of earth were taunting them from other screens.

 

Trying hard not to think, Ratchet shut his optics and attempted to drown out the way Jack, Miko and Rafael had been killed by the Decepticons... Released into the toxic atmosphere of Cybertron. Of earth as it was destroyed, falling into eerie, deathly silence as all sentient existence was wiped out in one foul blow.

 

Ratchet glanced sidelong at his fellow prisoners, Arcee's optics distant and unfocused, the femme broken by the loss of her third and final partners, Wheeljack's jaw was set as he supported Bulkhead, who had been injured terribly when he had thrown himself at Megatron in rage when Miko had perished... Bumblebee was shaking, from what, the old medic had no idea, but he was certain it wasn't of cold.

 

"Greetings, Autobots."

 

At the sound of that hated voice, every Autobot that could, looked up as Megatron strode into the throne room, walking down the line of prisoners to stand in front of his throne, flanked by Starscream and Soundwave, the warlord's daughter, Titanium wrench, following behind silently, not even glancing at the Autobots as she passed.

 

Silence fell as none of the Autobots responded to the warlord, who had full attention of several dozen pairs of blue optics, and even more red, the surrounding Decepticons watching their leader in delight as the gun metal gray warlord strode up to his throne and slowly turned, lifting his arm to reveal to them what he held in his right servo.

 

Ratchet fell sick as he stared into the lifeless optics of Optimus Prime, the severed neck cables sparking and dripping with energon, the majority of the Autobots turning away from the sight of their leader's helm in that monster's grip... But Ratchet could only stare as the last amount of hope he had felt was lost and he turned his gaze onto Megatron. The warlord was in possession of the Matrix now, so there was no hope of receiving another Prime to fight for them, Megatron having made it a point to behead Smokescreen as well.

 

It started as a low rumble, but quickly grew into a deafening roar as the Decepticons shouted for their leader, celebrated their victory verbally as the Autobots could only remain standing where they were, gazes downcast as Megatron threw his enemy's helm into his warriors, who fought over the grisly prize.

 

A cheer sounded from behind the captive Autobots as one of the Decepticons claimed the helm as his own, waving it around and spattering nearby comrades with energon that still seeped from the helm.

 

"Decepticons!" Megatron's voice boomed through the room, immediately causing a silence to fall from his warriors as he stood before his throne. "Earth is in ruins. The Autobots have been brought to their knees... Cybertron is restored." The warlord swept a servo to the viewport to show the restored Cybertron that they were approaching on the Decepticon warship. "Have I not given you what I promised?"

 

The Decepticons around the room gave up a roar, chanting the warlord's name over and over again, weapons clanging against weapons as they praised their leader, who looked over the Autobots with a cruel, twisted smirk on his lip components before he motioned for silence again. "Cybertron is ours. And the Decepticons have risen up higher than we had been in our past life... And the Autobots are less than expected."

 

Laughter rang through the room, cutting into Ratchet's spark as he remained silent, glaring with all the anger he could at the warlord who smirked back at him in amusement, chuckling deeply.

 

"Now... For the giving of the goods." Megatron spoke, making several of the Decepticons leer and shove against one another. "All of you have served me well, so, I will start with my officers." The warlord stated, looking to Starscream, who preened himself up. "I will take the two wheeler." He stated, Soundwave taking possession of Prowl, Knockout of Jazz and the warlord finally turned to the seeker femme standing beside him.

 

**/\\*/\\*/**

 

Titanium watched what was proceeding around her silently, optics hidden behind her visor as she looked over the Autobots, pitying them slightly for how broken they looked... They would suffer at the servos of her comrades just as she had before.

 

"And you, my dear?" The warlord asked, sarcasm in his tone that caused the femme, the only one that could hear him, to avert her gaze. "I do not want to partake of this." She responded calmly, flinching when Megatron snarled at her and half turned towards her. "You will chose. As a sign of your loyalty to me."

 

The black and blue seeker fell silent as she allowed her optics to flick from the ground to look up at the Autobots before averting her gaze, trying to bring up an Autobot designation in her processor, not wanting to chose any... She finally got a hold of a designation, and muttered it quietly. "Ratchet."

 

Megatron's humm of approval sickened his daughter, but Titanium kept the reaction from showing on her faceplates or in her posture as the warlord smirked widely. "The rest of the Autobots are fair game... If you can win them from one another." The warlord called, sitting down in his throne as his Decepticons advanced on the prisoners.

 

**/\\*/\\*/**

 

Ratchet could only watch in confusion and horror as those around him were ripped from their places in the line, vanishing from his sight as he attempted to figure out what the slag was going on... What were they doing? Killing them off?

 

Cries of surprise, shock and pain reached the medic's audios as he dialed them down to try and drown out the sounds, which were put to an end by Megatron. "Cease!" He called, waving a servo goodnaturedly. "Soundwave has informed me that we are arriving at New Cybertron. Soundwave will mark down which Autobots belong to which, and they will be delivered in due time. For now, we must set up our defenses in case of an attack."

 

Ratchet felt his spark freeze in his chassis at the statement made by the warlord...  _'which_ _autobots belong to which...'_  He trembled as his processor began to get a grip on the situation and what was happening, shutting his optics and attempting not to portray his fear. 

_Dear Optimus... You were the lucky one._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ratchet sets out on the newest chapter of his life -as a slave for Megatron's own daughter- and begins to realize just how much danger fills this new world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEED TAGS

"Move it, piece of scrap!"

 

Ratchet stumbled with the harsh shove dealt to him by one of his 'escort', Brawl, he remembered. The combaticon seemed to be impatient for whatever reason, while Barricade followed along in a calm, relaxed silence.

 

The dirtied autobot mumbled under his vents, attracting Brawl's unwanted attentions for a second time.

 

"What'd you have to say?" Brawl snarled, spinning Ratchet around by a shoulder strut and shoving him up against the wall of a newly rebuilt building. Brawl's violence wasn't unexpected, and Ratchet successfully evaded the urge to flinch, tilting his helm up in defiance while refusing to answer, further frustrating Brawl. "If you were  _mine_ , I'd show you your place right here and now." The tank snarled.

 

Ratchet fought the urge to shudder, the Decepticon's words carrying a frightening truth to them. While in captivity, he had had the "privilege" to helplessly watch the rape and beatings of several of his comrades. Some he even attempted to care for after the assault, though it did no good. They would only be ripped apart again.

 

"Just leave it, Brawl." Barricade grumbled, stepping up nice and close into Ratchet's personal space, the medic flinching when taloned digits grasped his chin, jerking his helm up until he was forced to look into the Decepticon's optics. "He knows better. As a berth warmer, you know how to behave, don't you Ratchet?"

 

The demeaning tone was enough for Ratchet to leer back up at the black and white Datsun, who let out a bark of laughter, the digits gripping his faceplates tightening to the point of pain. "Defiant, eh?" Barricade's tone took on a deep purr. "I've always wanted one with a little fire.~" The black and white mech whispered, Ratchet trying to pull away as the Decepticon nipped at his lip components.

 

"Are you crazy?" Brawl's shout startled Ratchet as the tank shoved the police cruiser aside, anger, lust and a hint of fear present on his faceplates. "Do you know what Megatron would do if he caught you trying to use Titanium's toy?" He hissed causing his comrade to smirk widely in amusement. "I Don't think he'd care much." Barricade responded, though he made no move towards Ratchet again.

 

"But just to be on the safe side, we might wanna hurry." The cruiser added before turning towards the orange and white Autobot, Ratchet shaking where he supported himself against the wall, optics wide as he attempted to calm himself down, the bigger mech grabbing his shoulder and shoving him forwards. "Keep walkin' Autobot."

 

Ratchet stumbled and nearly fell when Barricade slapped his aft but caught himself at the last moment, casting a glare back at the Decepticon before hurrying forwards. He was by no means in a hurry to reach their destination. The uncertainty of what the remainder of his life would be like as the pet of Megatron's own daughter was more frightening than being in the presence of Barricade and Brawl. Both of which were predictable.

 

Thinking back to when the war ended, Ratchet wished he had been one of the ones to fall, alongside Optimus and Ironhide… With Bluestreak and Inferno. It was too much to think of all of his friends that had been lost in one battle, the memories of a black and blue seeker tearing into Optimus' back, turning the fight in the Decepticon's favor as Megatron took the seeker's distraction to his advantage, snuffing the spark of his enemy… The very thought that he was going to be handed over to the femme that had had her servos stained in Optimus' energon when he fell was nearly overwhelming.

 

Then there was the retreat, the remaining Autobots fleeing before their enemies. Decepticons shooting and capturing most before they got very far, Megatron giving orders to take them alive… Kneeling before Megatron and his soldiers on the Nemesis, the divvying out of sentient mecha as toys for ruthless soldiers… Ratchet shut his optics in an attempt to block out everything that happened between then and the present. It was too much.

 

"Here we are. Just a little more, and you'll be able to serve your new owner." Barricade leered at Ratchet, the medic keeping a tight reign on his EM field and the roil of emotions passing through it. If Barricade was so willing to rape him… What would a warlord's daughter be willing to do?

 

Ratchet pushed away all thought and locked away as much of the fear as he could while looking upon a massive building, half of which was still under repairs… It looked like what remained of the Towers. An obvious choice for a seeker, but dozens of families had lived there before the war... Surely several Decepticons stayed there?

 

Too caught up in his surprise Ratchet failed to dodge Brawl's next shove before he nearly sprawled on his faceplates, the tank jerking him back to his pedes by an elbow, muttering under his breath about 'weakling Autobots _._ '

 

Biting his lower lip component, Ratchet allowed himself to be hustled up the long walk and through the open doors, one of which hung from a loose hinge. The inside was looking much better than the outside, cleaned so carefully that it looked as if it had never been destroyed by millennial of war.

 

Ratchet frowned as their pedes echoed in the overly silent hall, his guards stopping on either side of him and looking around in curiosity. Why was it so quiet? Surely Titanium had dozens of neutral servants? And where were the workers that had been doing the outside repairs?

 

All thought left Ratchet when a familiar black and blue seeker appeared at the top of a winding stair, looking down at them, wings high on her backstrut and tense. The blue visor kept the medic from seeing what the femme could've been thinking since the rest of her faceplating was carefully schooled into a neutral expression.

 

Ratchet's nervousness only intensified as Titanium began to descend the stairs until she was standing only a few meters away, seemingly studying him from behind her visor. Averting his gaze, Ratchet continued to look around the room as if he was interested in his new surroundings, and not at all thinking up different images of what could happen to him once he was left here alone with the Decepticon.

 

"We brought him as you asked. Untouched." Barricade purred from where he stood, giving Ratchet a little shove, the medic casting him a heated glare.

 

The seeker studied Ratchet for another moment before her helm turned in the direction of the other two mechs. "You will leave him with me." She responded, tone soft and calm… Was that a slight tremor? Ratchet frowned and his focus was now fully on Titanium as Barricade stepped towards the femme. "So soon? No thank you?"

 

Titanium's expression seemed to cave, and she took a step back away from the bigger Decepticon. "Thank you." She responded, tone still soft, almost meek. "But may I remind you I'm not out of my sire's favor at the moment." She bluffed, the Decepticon snorting and turning away. "Whatever. I got a little toy to get back to anyways." He rumbled.

 

Ratchet tensed when the police car's taloned servo landed on his shoulder, caressing it in a false parody of affection. "If you tire of him, let me know." Barricade grinned towards the nearby femme before leaning in close to the autobot's audio. "I'll make you scream." He whispered, pulling away as Ratchet shuddered.

 

With those parting words, the two big mechs left the building, pedesteps slowly receding into the distance while Ratchet just stood where he was, optics locked on his pedes as he attempted to avoid acknowledging the nearby femme.

 

Silence passed for several long moments as Ratchet waited for something,  _anything_ to happen. An order, a strike, an insult… But none of them came, and he finally mustered up the strength to nervously glance up at Titanium, who was looking away from him.

 

"Follow me."

 

The words were spoken so quietly Ratchet was sure he had imagined them, but then the femme turned away from him and began to ascend the staircase, not once glancing back.

 

Ratchet hesitated. He could run, but Barricade and Brawl were nearby no doubt, and would catch him before he got far. But even if he did escape, where would he go on a Cybertron under Decepticon control? Where his very symbol marked him as a  _pet_?

 

Venting softly, Ratchet began to follow the femme up the winding staircase, Titanium glancing back at him only once as she led him down a hall and into a room.

 

Once inside, Ratchet was pointed towards another door. "Clean yourself up." Titanium ordered, again, tone soft and almost meek before she moved away from him, back towards the door. "I do not wish to collar you… If you run, I cannot be held accountable for what the others do to you." She stated before she vanished from the room.

 

Frowning deeply, the thoroughly confused autobot opened the door into a medium-sized washrack, stepping into it and shutting the door behind him, Ratchet leaned against the wall and attempted to calm his fluttering spark. Did Titanium want him clean before she did to him as he had witnessed happen to so many others?

 

Ratchet attempted to ignore the trembling of his hands as he found the controls and activated the solvents, adjusting the temperature to a bearable heat before stepping into it.

 

Biting back the groan wanting to make itself known, Ratchet used one servo to steady him against the wall of the washracks, optics shuttered as he basked in the feeling of hot solvents washing into every seam of his armour and down to his aching protoform. It felt good, almost sinfully so, and Ratchet wished he could spend the rest of his existence here in the relative safety of the washracks.

 

"Not much of an existence." Ratchet muttered to himself, again thinking over what the remainder of his life would be like… Mostly pain and fear he supposed. There was very little else unless he was allowed to live his existence in relative peace, and please his mistress well enough that she wouldn't consider selling him to a mech like Barricade.

 

Ratchet put a halt on that train of thought before it could root in his processor, quickly scrubbing himself up until it nearly hurt, taking as much time as he dared. If Titanium were unhappy with him, he was certain he wouldn't like it. So, with a vent, the autobot climbed out of the washracks and stood beneath the dryer for the allotted time needed to dry off. He hadn't bothered to polish himself, willing to defy the Decepticon officer in every little way he could.

 

Standing before the door, the old medic schooled his features to keep from showing his fear and distress… Showing weakness now would do him little good.

 

Letting out a vent, Ratchet opened the door into the berthroom, coming to a stop almost immediately. Titanium was nowhere to be seen, and there was a full cube of mid-grade on the desk next to the berth.

 

Wary of a trap, Ratchet refused the hungry growl of his tanks and moved to sit on the berth, remaining still and keeping his optics on the ground. Kliks passed. Nothing.

 

Ratchet stood up again, glancing around the room before moving over to the door and trying it… It was locked. So Titanium wasn't in the room with him at all? Then that must mean that the energon was either drugged, or merely left there for the sole purpose of refueling.

 

Hesitating for only a brief moment more, the orange and white mech moved over to the desk to pick up the cube and carefully study it from all angles. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary. No strange colour tint or any flakes of unknown particles floating around. He sniffed it. Nothing off there either.

 

Carefully, Ratchet took a small taste of it, swirling the liquid around his mouth to taste for anything out of the ordinary, and again, found nothing.

 

Relief washing down over him, Ratchet quickly drank down half of the cube before hiding the rest beneath the berth. It would serve to have a little extra in case Titanium decided to starve him at some point in the future.

 

Somewhat satisfied now, the red and white autobot climbed into the berth, taking another quick look around before offlining his optics and powering down into defrag.

 

With his need to refuel out of the way, recharge was now the most important task.


	3. Chapter 3

_Ratchet ran as quickly as he could, optics set on Sideswipe, unconscious amid deactivated frames, Sunstreaker standing over his twin in a protective stance._

 

" _Give me some slagging room!" Ratchet snapped at the golden frontliner, the younger mech stepping aside quickly, alert for any impending danger to the medic now caring for his twin._

 

_Ratchet quickly assessed the damages to the red mech's frame, taking in the sparking wiring from his knee, the joint twisted awkwardly, warping the nearby plating. There was energon leaking from a large gash in Sideswipe's helm, no doubt the reason for his unconsciousness, and Ratchet patched that first._

 

_It was in this moment, his life had changed. Ratchet looked up at the sound of high-performance engines, optics following the path of a black and blue streak all the way towards Optimus._

 

_The Prime was battered and staggering on his right leg, Megatron looking no better for wear, the two at a stalemate, with neither strong enough to gain the upper hand… That is, until a lithe, black and blue seeker landed on Optimus' back, clawed digits tearing into the big mech's plating and tearing a howl from between the Autobot's lips._

 

_Ratchet saw it unfold in slow motion, Optimus staggering forwards, Megatron grabbing his helm and forcing it back to expose the Prime's intake, then the flash of a sword as Ratchet's friend's helm was separated from his frame. The warlord's next strike punched straight through Optimus' spark chamber, jerking free with the matrix in servo._

 

_The deafening sounds quieted for a moment before a rising cheer came from the surrounding Decepticons… It was then that Prowl had shouted for the retreat, moments before Motormaster shot him down._

 

_Sunstreaker lifted Sideswipe into his arms, a panicked expression on his faceplates as he looked at Ratchet, taking flight._

 

_Unnerved by the fear in the gold autobots optics, Ratchet had been spurred into action, getting to his pedes and running, running, running. Running until he was overtaken by Blast Off and Swindle, the two Combaticons easily subduing him…_

 

_Ratchet was dragged back through the carnage of the battlefield, right past Optimus' graying frame, chassis torn nearly clean away, Decepticons tearing pieces of plating off as souvinours… Ramjet looking at him with a savage grin, servos running with energon._

 

_Megatron stepping towards Ratchet and the group of captive Autobots, holding Optimus' severed helm directly in Ratchet's faceplates, the optics dark, the severed cabling still dripping life fluids…_

 

" _You're Prime is gone. There will never be another Prime again." Megatron hissed, and Ratchet could feel the fear and grief from those around him, he himself shrinking back when Megatron leaned in close to his audio. "And I have the Prime's little pet right here… I find myself lacking in that department."_

 

* * *

 

 

Ratchet jerked upright with a cry, optics wide and overbright with fear and horror, helm swivelling this way and that as he searched his surroundings for the menacing form of the warlord, memory finally catching up to him. Megatron wasn't here. No one was here but him.

 

Sitting fully upright, Ratchet shivered, partly from fear and grief, and partly from the cold condensation collected on his frame.

 

Shivering, the old autobot stood upright and moved over to the small window, looking out over a nearly rebuilt Cybertron. Since their arrival a few megacycles ago, more and more Decepticons had been arriving on planet, some he didn't even remember seeing. Some thought offline for millenial.

 

Ratchet released a sad exvent as he studied the light slowly growing in the darkened skies, painting a symphony of colour in a world full of pain and grief for Autobots.

 

Looking over each building, Ratchet wondered which of his friends were held prisoner in each one… If they were treated well or nothing more than a frag toy. He was unsure of which category he fell into. He hadn't been used as a toy as of yet, but he had no clue as to what his function was recquired to be.

 

Glancing back at the door, Ratchet made his way over to it, surprised to find it unlocked this time. Did that mean Titanium had entered the room when he was recharging? Or perhaps she had come by and unlocked it?

 

Ratchet mumbled under his vents, tired of all of the uncertainty, before making his way out of the berthroom, glancing left and right but seeing no one. Again, he was assaulted by the strangeness of this… Titanium was Megatron's daughter, surely she would have dozens of servants and, dare he say it, consorts?

 

Frowning deeply, Ratchet quietly made his way down the staircase, glancing at the doors and surprised to find them both repaired… Hadn't they been broken only the cycle before? Perhaps there was so much rebuilding to do that the workers only came by during the nightcycle? That would explain why Titanium would lock him in his room at night, to keep her property away from the lust and whims of a group of Decepticons builders?

 

Ratchet shook his helm and walked through several rooms before finally finding a main room, no doubt used for large gatherings and parties in the Golden Age, but there was only a single, small table in a corner, the faint glow of an energon cube present in the middle of it.

 

Looking around in curiosity, Ratchet wondered why Titanium seemed so set on leaving his energon out for him than giving it to him herself. He had expected energon to be withheld unless he 'obeyed' or performed well enough to be given fuel as a 'reward'. This, was entirely unexpected, with the only possible explanation that the seeker officer was attempting to play with his processor. Isolate him from all other contact until he went to her willingly?

 

Snorting in disdain, Ratchet grabbed the cube and noticed turned around, stopping dead in his tracks when he caught sight of his mistress' frame near the door he had entered from.

 

The two stared at each other in silence for several moments, as if unsure what to make of the other, before Titanium finally spoke. "Megatron has issued a new order… All captive autobots must be collared." She stated, tone soft and with the familiar meekness to it.

 

Ratchet eyed her for a moment before shrugging. So he wasn't in trouble for wandering the building? That was a good thing he supposed. The collaring he knew would come sooner or later. "I had expected it at some point." The red and white autobot responded, forcing the tremor from his voice as his optics wandered to the object hanging from her servo, then back up to her faceplates.

 

What Ratchet had been expecting to see of Titanium's expression was vacant. What he  _didn't_  expect to see was the near-panic expression to pass over what he could see of her faceplates, before it was quickly schooled back to the same, expressionless one he had seen on her so far.

 

"Would you put it on yourself if I trusted you too?" Titanium's voice was soft, and Ratchet looked her over again. This didn't seem to be the vicious femme that had aided in his oldest friend's demise, but it could be another trick for him to lower his guard. "I'd prefer it." The medic finally answered.

 

The Decepticon nodded and moved away from him, to the table and set the collar down there before picking up the datapad, staring down at it. "I also wanted to tell you about the… Rules." The seeker stated, not looking up from the pad as she moved away towards the door again. "You can go anywhere you wish, but my room or outside. You will be respectful of any… Visitors, and you will be in your berthroom before nightfall. Besides that, if you run, or are outside and you are… Taken advantage of, there is nothing I can do to help you. Same for if you anger another Decepticon. You can learn from experience if you must."

 

Fully taken off guard, Ratchet stared after the femme as she vanished from the room. Why did she seem to give him so large a berth to and from the table? Or was that his imagination? If he didn't know any better, the autobot would think Titanium  _feared_  him. A lowly autobot that could be used for any task a Decepticon wished. Who had no freedom or voice for himself? It was prepostorous!

 

Ratchet looked over to the table holding the collar. At least she had given him the dignity of doing it himself, and alone. He preferred the solitude to the Decepticon femme watching his humiliation.

 

Venting softly, Ratchet picked up the collar and inspected it. It was a plain black, and didn't seem to have ulterior motives… It was easily clicked in place, so he could remove it if he truly wanted to deal with the consequences.

 

Glancing around the make sure he was truly alone, Ratchet wound it around his own intake, clicking it in place with a soft growl. A soft  _beep_ , followed by a  _buzz_  reached his audios, making the medic frown and reach for it again, only to startle back at the shock when his digits touched the clasp again. He should've suspected it. It was most likely calibrated to Titanium and Titanium alone, making sure that any bot that would attempt to take it off would receive a nasty surprise.

 

Ratchet vented heavily and picked up the cube he had placed on the table, carrying it back up to his berthroom in silence, placing it beneath the berth and drinking the remains of the first, before sitting on the berth… He was used to working, doing other things than sit around, and he could feel himself becoming irritable with lack of distraction.

 

Ratchet onlined with a jolt, sitting upright. He hadn't even realized that he had fallen into recharge. Groaning, the medic sat upright, listening for what had awoken him. There it was… The sound of familiar high-performance engines that haunted his defrag cycles.

 

Frowning, Ratchet stood upright and walked the small expanse to his berthroom door, finding it locked.

 

When silence passed for several kliks, Ratchet moved back over to the berth, deciding that he had imagined the sound of a seeker's turbines, when it came again, much closer… Near the window. A soft, rumbling purr.

 

Curious, Ratchet made his way over to the window as silently as he could, glancing around for the source of the sound.

 

A flicker of blue in the darkness attracted the autobot's attention, Ratchet following the flight path of the seeker to one of the more damaged sections of the building. There, the seeker landed and seemed to be working, a spark of light cutting through the darkness, the medic recognizing it as a blow torch.

 

 _What the slag?_  Ratchet wondered inwardly as the seeker began to meld a new piece of sheet metal over a gaping hole, working silently and quickly. So the renovations and repairs weren't being done by a construction crew, but rather…  _Titanium?_  Ratchet stared in wonderment as the shadow moved  _just so_ , the sparks from the flame hitting metal lighting up pale faceplates, optics shielded by a blue visor, long enough for him to recognize the Decepticon flier.

 

Ratchet quickly moved away from the window to evade detection, processor scrambling over itself, trying to find a valid reason as to why a Decepticon officer, Megatron's  _daughter_  specifically, was repairing her own building? Most of the buildings on Cybertron had been repaired, at least those that held importance, or were a living space for Decepticons, so why wasn't a crew working on Titanium's home? Why wasn't hers being repaired before the others?

 

Venting softly, Ratchet glanced out the window again, the young Decepticon now gone from the place she had been repairing. Either Titanium preferred to be taken care of last, held the wellbeing of the troops above her own, or sought solitude like Soundwave did.

 

Whatever the reason, Ratchet began to understand several things. One, Titanium locked him in his room during the nightcycle so she could go around her repairs unhindered, without having to watch her pet, or to avoid him completely. Two, the fact Titanium was doing her own repairs explained the absence of a building team, and perhaps servants, if she was doing the cleaning on her own as well. Third, that would possibly explain why the femme hadn't sought out Ratchet for certain needs. She was busy, or too exhausted by the day cycle to bother with such things.

 

But… If that was all true, why would she have a need for Ratchet? Why not have just bought an autobot frag toy later on when she was finished and had time for more… decepticon activities? Or, if she truly didn't want the responsibilities of an autobot, why not go to the clubs?

 

Ratchet immediately felt guilty at the thought of removing himself from a situation that could only mean more humiliation and pain for those of his friends unclaimed by a single Decepticon and held captive in the clubs… Available for any Decepticon with the credits to rent one.

 

The medic shuddered at this thought and sat down on at the desk, scrubbing his servos across his faceplates and venting heavily. There was so much confusion in his present and it was beginning to frustrate him.

 

The sound of Titanium's engines was no longer heard, so the medic laid back down and attempted to forget everything and not try to think for a while. He just needed more rest, and, tomorrow, when he had nothing else to do but sit around, he'd think about it as much as he wanted.


	4. Chapter 4

Honestly, it was beginning to annoy Ratchet in all the wrong ways. Why was Titanium, a powerful figure in the Decepticons, an officer and daughter of Megatron, the one who arguably ended the great Optimus Prime's life, avoid him? Seemingly  _fear_  him? A lowly Autobot that, if he was told, would be expected to lie down, spread his legs and graciously accept a rape from her? It was confusing, to say in the best way.

 

Ratchet vented as he examined the datapad that had been left in his room alongside his daily ration. He had ceased hiding a portion beneath the berth, since his "mistress" seemed to have little interest in cutting him off from energon.

 

Shaking his helm as he read the list of supplies again, Ratchet headed out the door and down the long staircase before hesitating at the front door that lead outside. He hadn't been out in so long, he was honestly a little put off by the idea… But Titanium obviously wanted him to retrieve these items for her, so who was he to defy her? Especially when he had been able to live a mostly normal life in isolation?

 

Mumbling to himself, the red and white medic finally stepped out into the sunlight, pausing for a moment to bask in the sensation of warm, fresh air cycling through his vents. The window in his room only let in the dust of Titanium's daily renovations.

 

Ratchet remembered his task and hurriedly began to make his way down the long, winding path that led from the Towers out into the main street, mentally repeating the rules he had heard before being dumped into his "prison". No autobot was allowed to transform to alt mode without the direct supervision of their owner. No speaking without being spoken too. All autobots must be outfitted with collars, and, if one was discovered without one, their previous owner's rights to them would be revoked, the Autobot being put up for auction again. Never disobey a superior, which, in this case, would be any Decepticon.

 

Shaking his helm, Ratchet finally made it out to the main street, stopping for a moment and looking around, a flicker of uncertainty and, though he'd deny it, fear, passed through his spark at the sight. Decepticons… Decepticons  _everywhere_. Some he wasn't even familiar with! And… And Autobots. Most followed behind a Decepticon, either on leashes or freely. Very few were alone like Ratchet was, but even those had their optics fixed on the ground and a slump to their shoulders. Mirage passed nearby but made no indication of seeing the medic, his paint lacking it lustre, the paint around his hips striped with a combination of colours that Ratchet didn't even want to guess who they belonged to.

 

Worrying the inside of his lip with his denta, Ratchet quickly averted his optics as well, locking onto the ground at his pedes as he made his way down the street. Streets now mostly repaired, buildings shining and new, cities mostly repopulated, restored… But not the way Ratchet had dreamed it would be.

 

The medic hurried along, not wanting to attract too much attention to himself, or take too long that Titanium come looking for him. No. He couldn't risk the chance of angering her.

 

Ratchet finally found a spare parts department and entered quickly, taking a deep vent before walking up to the counter, keeping his optics averted from the massive mech sitting behind the counter in deference.

 

"What do you want shareware?" The mech's voice rumbled, and Ratchet hurriedly pushed the datapad across the counter, the unknown Decepticon snatching it up with a chuff of his vents. "Where's the creds?" He demanded, and the medic quickly passed those over as well, snatching his servos away before the Decepticon could even reach for the credits.

 

A laugh caused Ratchet to risk a quick glance at the burly Decepticon, the mech smirking lecherously, the autobot hurriedly looking away again and trying to steady his frantically pulsating spark.

 

"Huh. Frightened little thing aren't you?"

 

Ratchet didn't answer or look up this time, fighting the urge to turn tailpipe and run, standing firm, though he couldn't stop his frame from tensing up.

 

The Decepticon seemed to notice the white and red mech's apprehension, because he laughed. "You ain't my type, autobot." He leered, pushing away from the counter and standing to disappear into the back.

 

Once he was out of sight, Ratchet relaxed and realized his servos were still shaking, so he tightly curled them into fists to try and keep his obvious fear from showing when the mech returned holding a box of the parts Titanium needed, sliding it towards Ratchet.

 

Relieved that he could leave this place in a few moments, Ratchet reached across to grab the box when the Decepticon grabbed his servo.

 

Ratchet yelped and attempted to jerk away, but the tri-coloured mech held him tightly, jerking him in close until the medic was forced to look up into his optics. "Who owns you?" The mech demanded, the autobot visibly shaking now. "Wh-what?" He questions, optics wide with fear and letting out a little whimper when the mech's grip tightened on his servo. Slag, his digits were sensitive! "You heard me." The strange mech snarled, although he didn't seem to be threatening in any way.

 

Exventing heavily, Ratchet stared into golden optics. "Who are you?" The medic finally asked, voice hushed, and he wondered why he was speaking so quietly… He should be trying to fight the strange mech off, to call for help. But he was an Autobot, and no one would help him.

 

The Decepticon huffed in increasing annoyance and glared. "Spinister. Now _who owns you_?" The tri-coloured mech demanded, jerking Ratchet closer, the medic wincing as his front connected with the counter. "T-Titaniumwrench." He stammered, the bigger mech snorting before releasing his grip on the shorter mech.

 

Taking several steps back in relief, glad to have space between himself and this Spinister character, Ratchet tried to calm his rapid venting, noting how the Decepticon was still watching him. "Does she treat you well?"

 

The question took Ratchet by surprise, and he forgot all about the rules as he looked up in shock. "Better than my friends are getting." He finally responded, a bite to his tone as he glared at the mech, strangely upset by the mech thinking Titanium abused him.

 

Spinister snorted and turned away. "Good enough." He responded, motioning to the box of parts. "You wanting this or not?" He asked, letting out a sound of amusement when Ratchet eyed him warily. "I won't grab you again. In fact, I want you out of here now." The mech added before disappearing into the back again.

 

Ratchet exvented in relief when the ariel Decepticon disappeared from view, stepping back up to the counter and grabbing the box, he turned around and hastily exited the parts shop. He had what he came for, so now he could… The autobot froze when he came back out into the sunlight, optics falling on an Enforcer standing across the street.

 

Barricade obviously hadn't noticed him yet, since the Decepticon was looking away, but that didn't help Ratchet's pulsating spark in any way, the autobot quickly dismounting the steps and looking around. If he stayed out in the open, Barricade would see him, and he seriously feared what the Enforcer could do with him, so Ratchet ducked into an alleyway.

 

Hurrying along, Ratchet didn't stop his rushing pace until a few kliks passed with no sign of pursuers. Relaxing, the medic began to make his way carefully, making sure to check he was going in the direction of the towers every few moments.

 

It wasn't until Ratchet was close enough to the Towers to be able to see it from between two buildings in the alleyway that it happened.

 

The initial strike took Ratchet off guard, the blow sending him helm-first into the wall, crying out when his faceplates connected hard with the smooth metal, a soft  _crack_  making him wince as pain blew up along his olfactory ridge.

 

Ratchet pushed at the wall to turn around, but someone slammed him back against the wall, the medic struggling weakly, his collar buzzing in soft warning. Something it had never had to do before since Ratchet had had no need to resist or fight anyone while hidden away in the Towers.

 

"Relax, autobot." A dark voice purred into the side of his audio.

 

 _Barricade_. The realization hit the red and white autobot hard, Ratchet's struggles ceasing for a moment before renewing with desperation. The other mech was so close he could feel him ex-venting against his neck cables, the sensation sending a shiver through the blocky frame.

 

"Aww don't act so frightened." Barricade's tone held amusement and something darker, more sinister. "I've been wanting to see you again, but li'l Titaniumwrench keeps you locked away like a precious trophy. Did she finally tire of you? Perhaps she'd sell you to me now?" The Enforcer smirked at the desperation in the Autobot's field, pressing up against Ratchet's back and relishing the tiny whimper that came from deep within the smaller mech's chassis. "Or I could just take you. I doubt Megatron would mind much if I did."

 

Ratchet was more afraid than he had ever been in his entire functioning. He was alone in an alleyway with a dangerous mech… One of the more brutal Decepticons from what he remembered of Barricade's files, and no one would come to help him even if they heard him call out. Being helpless was one of the worst feelings ever.

 

"Please." Ratchet finally managed to speak, vents hitching in fear as Barricade rubbed his pelvic plating against the medic. "Please. No… Titanium is expecting me. If I'm not back, I-I'll be in trouble." The medic attempted to bluff the other mech, only succeeding in amusing Barricade. "Of course you'd be in trouble. But what would that matter to me? I suggest you just enjoy yourself Autobot." The Decepticon whispered into Ratchet's audio. "Because I will."

 

**/*\/*\/*\**

 

The door creaked gently as it was pushed open, causing Ratchet to still, trembling, as he listened for any sign that his return had been noticed.

 

Hearing nothing, the mech slowly entered, forcibly attempting to keep the limp from being noticeable.

 

Ratchet meekly made his way into the main room and over to the little table where he always found his daily energon on, lifting the box up onto it with a grunt, the movement sending a pang of pain through his frame.

 

Stopping for a moment to contain himself, Ratchet turned to leave, wincing as each movement re-opened the wounds in his valve or caused the fluids inside to slosh around, making the medic sick to his tanks.

 

"What happened."

 

Ratchet jerked up and away at the soft voice, optics widening slightly as he whipped around, staring at the black and blue seeker watching him so carefully from behind her blue visor, gasping. "N-Nothing." Ratchet quickly responded, glancing at the table with the box of parts. "I-I just got the parts and got roughed up a bit." He responded, not meeting the blue visor watching him so intently.

 

"Don't lie to me. You'd think I know that walk well enough to recognize it when I see it." The seeker Decepticon responded, causing Ratchet to look up at her. Did she mean that she had been raped by her companions? Ratchet sincerely doubted it. Megatron wouldn't let his own plating and energon get abused by his underlings.

 

Hearing Titanium vent, the autobot turned his attention back onto the smaller femme, who remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "Follow me." She ordered, turning and heading out of the room towards the stairs.

 

Ratchet hesitated for a moment before following after the vent, each step making the pain reach nearly unbearable highs, but he ground his denta and bit back the whimpers wanting to make an entrance… He was tough. He could take this. What was strange was that Titanium's wings were held up high on her backstruts, in an uneasy or tense position, and she seemed to be glancing at him too often for someone making sure that they were being followed.

 

Reaching the top of the stairs, Titanium turned away from the hall that led down to Ratchet's berthroom to another room, the door sliding open for Ratchet to recognize a medbay. It was lacking in anything useful however, the cabinets and corners empty of any medicines or equipment. "Where's all of the equipment?" The autobot asked nervously.

 

"What was left in here was destroyed or useless. I'm planning on restocking it when I can." Titanium responded, gesturing towards the emergency washracks. "Flush your…" The seeker paused, a flush rising to her faceplates. "Clean up." She finally stated, turning away quickly and moving over to a small cabinet at the other side of the room.

 

Frowning, Ratchet moved over to the washracks and pulled the curtain until he was certain Titanium wouldn't be able to see him from any angle, and turned on the solvents. Well, at least she seemed to have the solvents infused with the needed cleaning nanites.

 

Standing beneath the solvents, Ratchet felt his entire frame begin to shake as his shock wore away, biting his lower lip as he attempted to stifle the sobs wanting to make their way to the surface.

 

Ratchet shut his optics tightly and attempted to keep himself from crying, eventually composing himself with the initial sniff or cough to cover up a sob.

 

Sitting down on a ledge built into the washracks, the white and red autobot had to muster up the courage to open his panel, wincing at the swollen, inflamed state of his valve.

 

Letting out a chuff of air, Ratchet began to carefully clean himself up, glad to have Barricade's filth cleaned from his valve, the pain from the hot solvents enough to make him bite his lip component to hold back sounds of pain.

 

Finally, Ratchet was satisfied enough to close his panel up again and exit the washracks.

 

Titanium was watching him from where she stood on the opposite side of the room, her constant fidgiting again making Ratchet wonder if she was only uncomfortable with his presence or if it was something much more.

 

"You made sure to clean yourself out well?" The seeker finally asked, Ratchet looking up with narrowed optics when he caught a tremor in the other's voice… At least, he thought he'd heard one. "I am a medic." The Autobot responded with a glare.

 

The black and blue femme straightened a little more, arms crossing over her chassis, a look of almost vexation in the glint of her visor. "I am a medic as well. At least an apprentice." She responded, before seeming to realize something and she immediately returned to her usual meekness.

 

That little bit of information caught Ratchet by surprise. "An apprentice? To whom? Is that why you took me?" The former medic demanded with a deep frown.

 

Titanium's faceplates set in a displeased look before smoothing out once again. "Knockout. But he didn't spend much time teaching me." The femme responded, frown deepening as she seemed to consider Ratchet's last question. "No. Taking you was random. I don't know much about the Autobots, and, had I been given a choice, I'd live here alone." She responded.

 

Again, Ratchet was surprised. There was something more to this, he was certain, but Titanium seemed to be finished with the topic as she watched him from across the room. "Can you care for yourself?" She asked, voice soft again.

 

Quite honestly, Ratchet wasn't sure, but he didn't want Titanium touching him anymore than she seemed to want to, so he nodded. "I can handle myself." He answered with the usual gruffness he had had back with the twins and maybe Jazz on occasion.

 

There was silence, then Titanium nodded again, turning and vanishing from the room to leave Ratchet alone with his thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure if I should add more detail to the Ratchet/Barricade, so I'm leaving it to you guys. If you want a more detailed scene, comment and I'll work on changing it up. :3


	5. Dangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sound of pedesteps drew closer, and the former autobot remained where he was seated, taking several slow exvents in an attempt to calm himself as two big mechs appeared in the door.
> 
>  
> 
> Ratchet didn't spare the first, a Decepticon he didn't recognize but painted in the white and black common of an Enforcer. His attention was on the mech standing directly behind... Barricade.

 

Ratchet lay on his berth, optics dim as he attempted to focus through the haze his processors was in, letting out a soft groan to the femme standing nearby, watching him from behind her visor.

 

HUD filled with reports of infection, over heating and orders for immediate medical attention, but Ratchet ignored them. He knew what he needed, and he was certain that Titanium did as well. Though the Decepticon seeker seemed hesitant to touch him or call for a medic. Why would she not want to call for her tutor? Knockout surely could come for his protege?

 

Looking up through dim optics, Ratchet coughed again, every little movement making his lower regions feel like they were on fire. "Please." He hated begging, but he needed a medic, and he wasn't ready to offline. "Need a... Medic." Ratchet groaned, Titanium looking down at him with a torn expression on her faceplates.

 

"I will call for one."

 

Those words allowed Ratchet to relax, and he mumbled an unintelligible  _thank you_  under his vents, optics offlining as he vented heavily and attempted to relax his trembling frame.

 

Titanium looked down at the red and white mech laid out on the berth in his room, frowning deeply as she attempted to keep the frightened trembling from her wings. She knew that if she didn't call for Knockout, Ratchet could offline from the infection... But she would be the one at risk if she called for her "teacher", not Ratchet.

 

Venting softly, the femme paced back and forth. She didn't want an Autobot slave, but Megatron had made sure that she had had no choice in the matter, and now her peaceful existence was about to fall through her digits. Everything she had built up on, the Towers, being able to live a life free of the other Decepticons and society, would be damaged if not lost, with a single call.

 

Glancing again at the heavily venting mech, Titanium scrubbed a servo across her faceplates. She wasn't a fighter, at least, not much of one, and she wasn't a medic, though she knew rust infection when she saw it. She should've pushed aside her fear and just checked the Autobot over when she first learned of his abuse at another Decepticon's servos... Something she was particularly acquainted with.

 

Titanium shuddered as unwanted images assaulted her processor, immediately locking away the unsavoury memories of rape and beatings at the servos of several different Decepticons. Knockout, Dreadwing, Soundwave, even her father.... Shockwave, who had nearly blinded her with one of his experiments. That led the femme to touch her visor with her digits, tracing along it and venting softly.

 

As the seeker saw it, she either called Knockout and faced whatever would come with his 'visit', or let Ratchet suffer and offline... From what she thought, it was  _her_  fault he was hurt in the first place. She had sent him out with the full knowledge of what another Decepticon would do to someone weaker and lesser than they themselves were.

 

The young seeker looked at the Autobot medic again. She remembered all the times she had watched him, watched as he explored the Towers, read through every datapad she had had, how he had seemed to want to avoid her as much as she had wanted to avoid him... Titanium smiled faintly when she remembered how Ratchet had noticed her making repairs during the nightcycle, and he had respected her enough to not push her for answers as to why...

 

Finally, Titanium lifted a trembling servo to her comm, activating it. "Knockout.... I need you at the Towers, my..." Titanium hesitated and glanced at Ratchet. "Autobot needs immediate care." She finished, cutting off the comm before the red Decepticon could even answer.

 

Kneeling down on the ground beside the white and red medic, Titanium offered a tight little smile, though she knew that Ratchet wouldn't see it... He couldn't hurt her now either, even if he wanted too. Honestly, she was surprised that he hadn't already.

 

Titanium vented softly and reached out a servo, hesitating right when she was about to touch him, worrying her lower lip component before mustering up the courage to lay a servo to the side of his faceplates, gently caressing the flushed and heated metal. "It won't be long now." The femme murmured gently, comfortingly. "I won't let you offline." She whispered.

 

Ratchet onlined, groggy, to the sound of voices, letting out a soft groan as he shifted on his berth, optics slowly onlining. Repair reports were waiting for him, reporting of repairs to his valve and joints, the presence of an anti-virus in his systems prodding for him to sit up.

 

The sight before him was something he had hoped to never see again... Knockout was in the room, and had Titanium pressed into the wall, what he was saying, Ratchet couldn't hear, but he could see Titanium was frightened. The seeker femme was clawing at Knockout's armour, angering the medic so that he struck her.

 

"Slagging whore." Knockout snarled under his vents as he grabbed the blue visor and ripped it off, loving the way Titanium cried out, nearly blinded to the point where she had no idea where to scratch, where to go.

 

Ratchet watched in horror... Was Knockout seriously attempting to... Rape Megatron's daughter? He couldn't even dream of what consequences such an action would bring upon the offender! A chill ran through the medic. Unless Megatron didn't  _care_... Knockout wasn't the type of mech to make such daring... Titanium's startled cry ripped the groggy mech from his thoughts.

 

Watching the way Titanium's struggle seemed to be weakening, how the seeker slumped against the wall, optics nearly white with what any average mech would mistake as fear, leading Ratchet to the assumption that she was nearly blind... THat would explain the constant use of a visor.

 

However, it was the sight of Knockout's servo sliding down black plating and between Titanium's thighs, accompanied by a frightened whimper, that spurred Ratchet into action.

 

Ratchet was off the berth faster than he would've thought possible in his half-drugged state, and launched himself at Knockout, slamming into him with his full weight and tossing all three to the ground.

 

Titanium let out a startled cry, helm swivelling as she attempted to see what had happened, but the sounds of cursing and metal grating against metal cleared up what had happened.

 

"You slagging piece of scrap!" Knockout howled, grabbing at Ratchet's collar, the older medic grinding his denta together as he attempted to ignore the electrical shock that passed through his frame. If he didn't stop Knockout  _right now_  and went into stasis, the other mech could easily get to Titanium again.

 

Ratchet struck Knockout across the faceplates as hard as he could, relishing the cry that got out of the Decepticon. "Don't you dare touch her again!" The medic hissed angrily, shaking with both exhaustion and anger.

 

Looking up at the autobot, Knockout gave a bark of laughter. "Why should you care? You're her  _toy_  after all." The red mech responded with a leer. "Just like she is! Do you think Megatron cares what happens to dear Titaniumwrench?"

 

Ratchet stilled. He had had his suspicions, but it was no less shocking to hear them confirmed.

 

"She's a toy, just like you." Knockout leered again, laughing. "I can have my way with her just as I could with you if I wanted! No one would care!"

 

Glaring down at the vain mech, Ratchet ground his denta together, the shock having ceased the moment he had stopped striking at Knockout, but gave off a threatening hum in response to his anger and the clenching of his fist. " _I_  care." Ratchet responded in a dangerously low tone. "Autobots won't be pets forever! And when we aren't I'll kill you myself." The white and red mech responded, a flicker of fear passing through the Decepticon's red optics.

 

"You lay a servo on me, I'll have you removed from Titanium's custody and put into the common house!" Knockout shouted, squirming beneath the autobot.

 

Ratchet snarled and struck the red mech again, falling backwards off of Knockout when an strong electrical shock passed through him again, several times worse than he had ever experienced.

 

Knockout took the chance to scramble to his pedes, running to the door and glaring back at the two still in the room. "The Enforcers will hear of this! I'll ruin you both!" He shouted, vanishing from sight though his pedesteps could still be heard throughout the mostly empty building for some time.

 

"Titanium." Ratchet grunted, fatigued and weak, as he crawled over to the shaking femme. "Titanium?" The medic asked, afraid that the Decepticon might've taken more damage than he had first thought, but was relieved to find her still fully coherent. "Are you alright? Did he have enough time to..."

 

The black and blue seeker cut him off. "No. I am unhurt." She responded, attempting to sit herself upright, but Ratchet placed a servo on her shoulder in the pretense to keep her down, jerking it away when Titanium visibly tensed, a flicker of fear passing through her unseeing optics. "You aren't well." Ratchet finally clarified, glancing at the berth. "Would you mind if I moved you to the berth?" He asked.

 

Titanium was silent for several moments, shaking from the near-rape at Knockout's servos. It had been expected to happen, but Ratchet had intervened, and she struggled to wrap her processor around that fact. Why would the autobot defend her when she had kept him locked up and isolated? "I can manage myself." The seeker finally responded when she realized the Autobot was waiting for a response.

 

Rolling onto her side, Titanium vented shakily as she forced herself up onto her pedes and stumbled to the berth, leaning against it before hesitantly climbing atop it and lying on her back. She tensed when the white and red mech appeared at her side, and felt something hard and cool placed in her servo... Her visor.

 

Relieved, the black and blue seeker rushed to reattache the piece of glass over her optics, the restoration of her sight somewhat soothing as he rapidly pulsating spark slowed to a normal rate.

 

There was silence in the room for several moments, and Ratchet watched the seeker hurry to replace her visor... He didn't see any damage, but he no longer had his built in scanners to confidentally determine that. Titanium was obvious in shock, and frightened, but she composed herself frighteningly quickly.

 

"You have risked your own welfare... Others will come."

 

Ratchet looked up when the femme spoke, venting softly and sitting in the chair set up beside the desk, rubbing his servos on his thighs. He was honestly exhausted and in slight pain from the combination of recent repairs and the electrical shocks, but he couldn't rest when another's well being might very well be at risk. "I knew the consequences." He finally responded.

 

Sitting up against the wall, Titanium directed her gaze to the bigger mech. He confused her. She had expected him to take advantage of his bigger size and strength the moment he had been left alone with her that first cycle, but he hadn't. He hadn't hurt her in any way, or attempted to. He never pushed for answers, never questioned her when she was certain he suspected she wasn't as high up in the Decepticon command as it might seem. "No, I don't think you  _know_  the consequences!" Titanium bit out, more sharply than she had intended, but she knew what would happen... And she didn't want it to happen to the mech before her, the first one she could be in close contact with that never attempted to touch, hurt or rape her! "They will re-auction you. You'll be blacklisted as difficult and hard to handle, then they will reprogram you and sell you to the highest bidder as a  _pet_!"

 

Ratchet flinched at the femme's rise in volume, watching her with surprise... This was the first time she had spoken so much to him, much less raise her tone above the usually mild one she tended to use... She was frightened. Her wings side it if her field and expression didn't.

 

"They will program you to  _serve_  to spread your legs when you're told! And you'll still be  _consciously aware_! You'll know what's happening, but you won't be able to stop it!" Titanium continued her tirade, tears in her optics now as she rambled on. "If they don't do that, they'll drag you down to the pleasure houses! Do you know how long an Autobot survives there? Less than an earth week!"

 

Averting his optics, Ratchet looked away from the femme, visibly shaken by what she said... Reprogram? He hadn't thought the Decepticons would stoop so low, yet he had never expected all prisoners to be turned into interface toys either. "Then let them." Ratchet finally responded, venting shakily. "I knew there would be consequences to helping you. But it would've been worse if I hadn't."

 

Titanium stared at the former autobot, shocked. Ratchet thought it would be worse if she  _hadn't_ helped her? "I wouldn't have... punished you." She responded, the medic snorting in near-amusement before sobering. "I know you wouldn't have... It would've been worse for me, to know I could've helped you and I didn't..." He answered in a soft tone. "I care."

 

Silence fell over to two, former enemies, united now in slavery. One collared, the other no less free.

 

Titanium couldn't believe her audios. Ratchet  _cared_  about her? She was speechless as tears fell from her optics, some trailing down her faceplates while others were caught up in her visor. "Do you not understand... what will happen when they come back...?" She choked out, both angry, humiliated and frightened.

 

Frowning deeply when he noticed the tears, Ratchet pulled his chair closer and reached out a servo for the femme, hesitating just short of touching her when she flinched. "I know..." He responded, finally cupping the delicate faceplates in his servo, using his thumb digits to wipe away the coolant tears, smiling faintly. "But it was worth it."

 

The jet stared at him for several moments, a look of incredulity on her faceplates before she looked away. "You don't mean that." Titanium responded in a near-whisper.

 

"Regardless." Ratchet smiled faintly. "You need to rest." The medic added with a soft vent, Titanium looking up at him, a frown on her faceplates. "I don't need it." She responded in a stubborn tone, the medic frowning back at her, feeling that familiar sensation of irritation that he often had when one of the twins refused to recharge. The memory was a kick to the abdomen, but Ratchet ignored it. "You do. I will remain online for if some bot decides to show up." He added with a faint smile.

 

Titanium stared at the mech. He was confusing, and she wondered how he could act like everything was alright, everything would be alright, when he was the one on the line. He was so gentle and friendly, good looking and... The femme shut down that train of thought right away, hesitantly lying back. She was nervous about recharging near the autobot, but he had never hurt her before, when he had many the chance to, so she offlined her optics and lost herself to recharge before she could even realize it.

 

Ratchet smiled faintly at the femme, though it was conflicted. He pitied the femme and wanted to protect her, but she was also the one that was partly involved with the death of one of his oldest friends.

 

The medic turned away and vented heavily. He wasn't sure what he felt about the femme, but, for now, he knew that she was in danger... He felt protective of her, though he hadn't the slightest idea as to why.

 

Ratchet hadn't realized he had fallen into recharge until the sound of pedesteps and voices jerked him from it, the medic sitting stock upright in the chair beside the berth, glancing at Titanium and still seeing her in recharge he relaxed, but only for a moment.

 

The sound of pedesteps drew closer, and the former autobot remained where he was seated, taking several slow exvents in an attempt to calm himself as two big mechs appeared in the door.

 

Ratchet didn't spare the first, a Decepticon he didn't recognize but painted in the white and black common of an Enforcer. His attention was on the mech standing directly behind...  _Barricade._


	6. Chapter 6

Ratchet tensed when the two Enforcers pushed their way into the smaller room, the foremost looking annoyed at the worst while Barricade looked to be a cross between gleeful and sadistically amused.

 

Trying to speak, Ratchet found trouble finding his voice, but when he did, he was pleased that his voice remained firm and even a little annoyed. "Don't wake her." The former CMO growled, glaring up at Barricade and remained unmoving in his seat.

 

Barricade snorted in amusement. "Well, I guess whores always enjoy the company of those like-minded to themselves." The Enforcer leered, moving closer and giving the recharging Titanium a glance, a corner of his lips twitching into an unkind smirk before he looked back at the defiant red and white mech before him.

 

Trying his best to remain composed and still, Ratchet cast him a serious look. "You know, Barricade, it's better to let others think you're stupid than to open your mouth and prove it." The older mech responded.

 

Honestly, the startled shock on the Enforcer's faceplates was worth any retribution that could befall him, and Ratchet smirked as the shock transitioned into anger, the black and white Datsun grabbing him by the collar and jerking him from his seat. "I had considered giving you a second chance, but now it seems to be true you need a good reprogramming… Or a stronger servo to keep you in your place."

 

Snarling, Ratchet swung out at Barricade, striking the mech across the faceplates, the sound bring a satisfaction to the old Autobot. This mech had humiliated, abused, hurt and raped him, and the former CMO felt the anger and hatred fill him as he attempted to swing again, the collar catching up with his intentions and sending a strong voltage through his frame.

 

Ratchet collapsed in Barricade's grip, grinding his denta together and let out a soft keen, the scent of smoking circuitry and singed plating overwhelming his olfactory sensors.

 

"Serves you right." Barricade leered, jerking at the collar to get the white and red mech back to his pedes.

 

"What are you doing in my room?"

 

The question caught everyone off guard and they collectively looked up at Titanium, who was no upright and sitting on the edge of the berth, tense.

 

Before Barricade could respond, the second enforcer stepped forwards. "We have received a complaint about your pet." He announced, pulling out a datapad. "Aggravated assault against a civilian, disregard for the laws put in place for the Autobots, unwilling to submit and now assault against an officer." The strange mech reviewed from the pad, jotting down the last bit before looking up again. "To put it briefly, your pet is too aggressive."

 

There was silence as Ratchet vented heavily, still dazed from the shock, before Titanium spoke up again. Her voice was soothing to Ratchet, the old mech relaxing. He had no power here, no way to defend himself, but Titanium did… She  _had_  to. "An autobot is to fulfill the needs of their owner." The jet finally spoke in a calm tone, but Ratchet could sense her fear and see it in the way her wings stood up high against her back. "I have trained mine as a bodyguard. You cannot fault him in protecting me."

 

Barricade scoffed, cutting off his partner who had been about to speak. "Then why is he collared? No bodyguard needs a collar if they are designed and trained for the protection of their owner." The Enforcer gave a rough jerk on Ratchet's, choking the mech. "So if it's true that you wanted him as a bodyguard, and he's still collared, you cannot control him yourself." The Decepticon smirked smugly.

 

Ratchet looked at Titanium with wide optics. If there had been a way to keep him from being collared… Why had she collared him? Perhaps he didn't mean anything at all to her, and she saw him as the other Decepticons did. He averted his optics, shoulders slumping in a submissive pose.

 

"At least he knows how to act with me." Barricade laughed, reaching over with his free servo to carress the other's faceplates.

 

"That's why he hit you only moments before." The second enforcer responded in annoyance before looking at Titanium again. "There are a few choices for what is to be done. One, we can have him reprogrammed to your taste. Two, we will auction him to someone more able to care for an aggressive pet. Three, we can have him permanently offlined. Four, you can gift him to your father's personal harem."

 

Ratchet looked up in horror, optics wide with fear. Megatron's harem? He jerked around to look at Titanium, optics wide as he begged with her silently to not do that. "Please… Please offline me if you must, I-" The medic was so panicked he didn't even see the strike until his helm jerked to the side and he collapsed, shaking and covering his helm in preparation for Barricade to strike him again.

 

"Stop." Titanium's voice was firm and steady, the femme standing upright from the berth and moving closer, though not close enough for either Enforcer to touch her. "You will leave. You have entered my home without a warrant, and are now damaging my property. Ratchet will stay with me. He is my reward for the part I played in the Decepticon victory." The jet stated, crossing her arms over her chassis.

 

Barricade scoffed. "Your part? Your part was doing exactly what the Autobots are doing now! Spreading their legs when they're told. You were nothing but a morale boost!" The Datsun responded, moving close to Titanium and leaning his faceplates in close to hers so that their nose ridges almost brushed. "And I'm surprised Megatron didn't make you  _join_  them."

 

Ratchet watched as the other Enforcer stepped forwards and grabbed Barricade, pulling him away. The mech looked unsure, and Ratchet briefly wondered if he had known that Titanium had been abused by those that shared Megatron's cause. "Barricade. We will return later with the correct paperwork." He ordered, turning to the door, the Datsun following.

 

Shaking in relief and fear, Ratchet welcomed Titanium's hesitant touch on his shoulder as Barricade turned around in the doorway, glaring at them. "We'll come back. Megatron himself will hear of your defiance, Titanium. Then we'll see how long you remain a free 'bot." He stated before vanishing from sight.

 

Sure they were gone, Ratchet looked up at the femme, feeling a flicker of betrayal pass through his spark. "You collared me… You didn't have to but you did." He accused, frowning deeply as he struggled with the urge to demand why or pull away.

 

Titanium looked down at the mech before she looked away, withdrawing her servo from his shoulder. "I did because I had to." She responded softly, letting out a soft chuff of air as she leaned back against the berth. "I was… Afraid of you."

 

Ratchet stilled at the words, optics widening. So he had been right? Titanium had feared him all along...

 

If he was honest with himself, Ratchet would admit that he was most afraid of losing his feelings for Titanium if he were reprogrammed. But right now, it didn't seem to be the best time to admit such things.

 

"I'll get you some energon. Stay on the berth." Ratchet ordered, suddenly not wanting to stay in the same room as the seeker. He need to think, and he could do so if he weren't in the direct proximity of the femme.

 

Standing upright, Ratchet exited the room before he allowed the dam to break. He felt betrayed that the femme that claimed she didn't want an Autobot "pet" collared him when there had been a way to prevent that… But then there was the fact of her abuse at the servos of not only the other Decepticons, but her own  _sire_  for spark's sake! Instigating the fear of mechs, and possibly femmes, bigger than her. There was so much he wanted to ask, but now was not the time to do so.

 

Ratchet vented, scrubbing a servo over his faceplates as he found his way down to the room where his energon could usually be located. Walking through it, the medic found a large kitchen area, one of many in the Towers, and saw a single dispenser sitting on the counter across the room.

 

Quickly crossing the short expanse between himself and the dispenser, Ratchet fumbled around for a cube, finally finding one and putting it in place, leaning on the counter and waiting for it to finish dispensing.

 

Now, alone, Ratchet felt the coolant in his optics as everything crashed down upon him at once… Optimus was gone, never coming back. Jazz and Prowl fallen. Ironhide gone. The rest of the Autobots enslaved, neutrals no doubt avoiding the planet or coming in under the Decepticon brand, there was no hope left.

 

Leaning on the counter, Ratchet felt the first bout of sobs hit him, wracking his frame as he lay his servo on his arms, crying into them. If only he had been able to warn Optimus of the impending doom in the form of an abused seeker! If only he could've saved Prowl on the battlefield. If only he was offlined, Sunstreaker could've escaped with Sideswipe instead of being held back when he insisted on doing Sideswipe's repairs on the battlefield.

 

Ratchet sobbed, finally allowing the emotions he had trapped inside to well up to the surface. The anger, the pain, sadness, grief, hatred, bitterness. All of it. It crashed over him in wave after wave of overwhelming emotional inputs.

 

When he was able to compose himself, the dispenser had ceased dispensing the luminous blue liquid, and Ratchet picked it up carefully with both servos, capping it before the shaking of his servos could spill any of it.

 

Turning around, Ratchet stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Titanium standing in the doorway, wings drawn up tight on her backstrut as she watched him through her visor.

 

Staring at one another in silence, the former autobot CMO wondered just how long she had been standing there. Had she seen him crying? Had she heard his muffled pleas to be taken by the allspark? The bitter demands of what he had done to Primus to warrant such a life?

 

"I'm sorry."

 

The words were soft, nearly inaudible, but Ratchet heard them easily and looked away.

 

The seeker stepped a little closer, though an uneasy air was present in her unstable EM field. "I was the one that distracted him… It was my intervention that brought your leader's death." Titanium spoke, a tremor in her voice. "But…" She looked away.

 

"But what?" Ratchet demanded, fighting against both the urge to scream at the femme standing before him, and breaking down again.

 

Titanium stared at the floor before tilting her faceplates to look up at the bigger mech. "I-If I didn't do it… Megatron would've… He would've…" The femme brought her servos up to her faceplates and her own tiny shoulders began to shake with sobs.

 

Ratchet stared, unsure of what to do. Should he touch her? She hadn't wanted touch before… Although he had been able to just a short while ago…

 

Venting, the white and red mech placed the cube on the table and moved closer to the seeker, watching for any sign of fear or discomfort, but her wings hung low in what he could only distinguish as sadness.

 

"Hey…" Ratchet spoke awkwardly, reaching out with a servo and taking the seeker's arm in a loose grip, gently tugging her over to the table. "Sit down." He ordered gently, watching as Titanium obeyed him, seemingly struggle to get herself back under control.

 

"I-I'm sorry. I d-don't like killing… I was so angry and afraid…" The femme slid her digits under her visor, no doubt rubbing at her leaking optics. "But he said he'd… He said he'd tear off my w-wings. That he'd give me to every mech on board, and I'd never s-see the outside of my r-room again… He wanted me to prove I w-wasn't useless. And I th-thought…" Titanium sniffled.

 

"You thought that the bravery of an attack against a Prime would be good enough that he wouldn't follow through with his promise." Ratchet sat down across from her now, a servo on the still-shaking shoulder.

 

Titanium nodded vigorously, wiping at her optics again. "I-I didn't know my s-sire would offline him… He always said he'd keep your leader as a trophy." The seeker looked up again at the kind mech before her. "I thought it'd make my life better…" Titanium stated in a whisper, lower lip trembling. "But it's so much worse. I've condemned an entire faction to suffer what I had… And without a war, the others will get tired of their Autobots soon enough. Then they'll come for me. Or s-sire will, and no one will care…"

 

Frowning deeply, Ratchet reached over and tilted her faceplates up until he was certain she was looking up at him again. " _I_  care, Titanium." The medic responded gently. "I won't let any other mech near you again… I'll protect you." He murmured, leaning in close and pulling her to his chassis, arms wrapping around her in a loose hug, not tight enough to startle her.

 

Titanium tensed in the embrace before pressing tightly to the Autobot, digits digging in to try and pull him even closer, crying again.

 

Letting the femme cry, Ratchet briefly wondered if there wasn't any hope. Mechs would get tired of Megatron's reign sooner or later… The autobots, Titanium, the neutrals. They would fight, wouldn't they?

 

"Here." Ratchet gently untangled himself from the seeker and placed the cube of energon in her servo. "You'll feel better."

 

Watching Titanium quickly gulp down the entire cube, the medic frowned. "You're under fuelled." Ratchet suddenly stated, frowning deeply. How had he not noticed? Perhaps because he hadn't been able to scan her due to his internal scanners all being removed.

 

The seeker shrugged. "I prefer to be this way… I have too much energon now." She responded, Ratchet feeling a sinking feeling in his tanks. On top of the rape and abuse of Megatron and his soldiers, Titanium had been starved? Just how far did Decepticon brutality go?

 

Getting up, the white and red mech retrieved another cube and pushed it into the femme's servos. "Drink this one too." He ordered, making a zipping motion when she opened her mouth to protest. "Eep, ep, ep! No excuses! Drink that too." He ordered, an air of familiarity making him smile briefly at being able to care for another again.

 

"Titanium."

The black and blue seeker looked up at the sound of her designation, the medic's faceplates serious as he looked down at her. "Would you run with me?"


	7. The Last Scavenger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N: Speedtrap is my OC. No one is to use him without permission from yours truly. Enjoy, and as always, review!)

 

"Would you run with me?"

 

Titanium's vents stalled at the suggestion, staring up at the autobot in shock and surprise. "Run?" She demanded incredulously. "We wouldn't make it to a ship!" The seeker responded with hidden optics wide.

 

The medic snorted and sat down across from her, leaning close. "We don't know that… There has to be Decepticons sympathetic to the Autobots. To you!" He spoke hopefully, making gestures with his servos, the femme venting. "Ratchet. I don't think you heard me right. The Decepticons  _enslaved_  the Autobots! Before that, they  _raped_  and  _beat_  me! Megatron's creation!" Titanium cried, shaking her helm. "No one will help us."

 

Ratchet frowned as he looked at the femme sitting across from him. "There has to be someone. Someone who isn't happy with Megatron's way of ruling." He responded, thoughtful, processor bringing up whatever mechs or femmes could fit in that category.

 

"Anyone that was unhappy with Megatron's reign would've been taken care of by Tarn." Titanium responded in a neutral tone, snorting at the medic's surprised look. "Yes, they're still around.  _Right here_  on Cybertron." She answered the unasked question.

 

The medic thought over this new piece of information. If the DJD were present on Cybertron, they would no doubt still be hunting down traitors, deserters, runaway autobots. All of them could make it onto the List now that there wasn't a war. "We can make it." Ratchet responded finally, looking up at Titanium. "And I think I know someone that can help us."

 

* * *

 

 

Ratchet was relieved to be set back on the ground, not at all fond of being suspended thousands of feet up in the air.

 

Waiting for Titanium to transform and land beside him, Ratchet motioned for her to follow.

 

Together, the two made their way through the darkness as quietly as they could. They couldn't get too close to their destination within the city due to the patrols of Enforcers, and security drones, so they would have to make their way there through the alleys.

 

"What makes you so certain he'll help us?"

 

Ratchet winced when the seeker spoke aloud, albeit softly, but he would've much preferred the use of comm. Links… If he still had them. "Just a feeling." He responded, moving around the dumpsters and peaking out onto the street. "Clear. Come on."

 

The two scurried across the street and ducked into the alley directly beside the small building just as highlights lit up the street behind them, a black and white car passing slowly.

 

"Barricade?" Ratchet whispered, as Titanium peered out at the passing mech. "No. He was with Barricade earlier. His designation is Speedtrap. He was an Enforcer before the war with Barricade and Prowl, but he was corrupted and swept up into gang life." The seeker responded. "Bribery, rape, beatings, murder. You name it, he's done it."

 

Ratchet snorted in distaste. "I get the feeling all Decepticons were criminals." He muttered, the femme casting him a glare, the most fire the medic had seen from her as of yet. "Not entirely. My sire didn't go mad until he accidentally offlined my carrier in a fit of rage." She responded, slipping around the corner before Ratchet could ask her about it.

 

Pressing close to the wall of the small building, the two bots crept up to the door, Titanium reaching up to test the lock. "It's locked." She whispered, glancing nervously back up the street as Ratchet crouched in front of the door control. "It's junk. I can get through it." He responded confidently.

 

"Please hurry." Titanium whispered, watching the street for Speedtrap or Barricade, wings trembling slightly as she thought about just how much trouble she would be in if she was discovered… But it felt wonderful to not be helpless.

 

Ratchet carefully pried the outer panel off to get to the circuitry beneath it, digits shaking as he searched out the green wire and cut it.

 

A soft  _click_  sounded directly beside his helm, and Ratchet relaxed. "Got it." He murmured to the shaking femme beside him as the door slid open softly to allow the two entry.

 

Slipping inside behind Titanium, Ratchet forced the door closed as quietly as he could before the sound of a blaster powering up reached his audios.

 

Ratchet stilled and held up his servos in a non-threatening gesture, glancing sideways at Titanium, her visor over-bright with fear, wings trembling more prominently now. "We need help." He finally spoke.

 

Silence fell for several long kliks before the mech responded. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

 

Relaxing, Ratchet slowly turned around, servos still up in non threatening way. "Ratchet, former Autobot CMO." The red and white mech glanced at Titanium. "And Titaniumwrench. We need help. Please."

 

Kliks passed, but it felt like joors before the sound the blaster powered down and a mech brushed past Ratchet, placing sheet metal over the windows before turning on the lights and turning to face them.

 

" _Spinister_?" Titanium's surprise caused Ratchet to frown, and he glanced at the seeker, who was staring at the air-mech, mouth open in shock.

 

The Scavenger smirked and cocked his helm. "Surprised, are you?" He asked, though his tone held little amusement, if any.

 

"But… But the DJD…" Titanium seemed to be searching for something to say, but the red mech cut her off. "They did. I was the first one the rounded up when they arrived." The copter stated, expression hardening.

 

Ratchet frowned and looked around. "What of the others?" He asked now, the look on Spinister's faceplates answering the question before he even spoke. "They're gone. The DJD slaughtered them before my very optics. They even executed Fulcrum and Misfire's sparkling."

 

The medic couldn't believe it, staring in horror at the mech before him, searching for something to say. "But… Why are you still alive?" He asked, unable to think through the horror of a mech killing a sparkling.

 

Spinister scoffed now, though his expression was pained. "I'm alive due to the "mercies" of Lord Megatron." He responded, spitting the words out as if they were acidic. "Alive while all of my friends were executed. Albeit, not without tweaked programming." He added bitterly.

 

"What sort of programming?" Ratchet demanded, stepping back and away from the red mech, who laughed. "Loyalty programming. But I've already cleansed myself of it. It's useless now besides playing the part of still being active."

 

Titanium frowned now, suspicion in her EM field. "How did you accomplish that? Shockwave's codes are unbreakable." She responded, moving closer to Ratchet. If Spinister carried live loyalty coding, he would betray them to the DJD.

 

Spinister snorted. "Onslaught took a detour to some planet along the outer rim and obtained an anti-virus for it. Needless to say, I owe the Combaticons a favour." The copter flicked his rotors in irritation. "Enough about me. What do you want with me?"

 

Gathering himself, Ratchet vented heavily before speaking. "We want off planet." He responded, getting straight to the point.

 

For his credit, Spinister didn't react in any way, just watching them with a contemplative gaze. "The DJD will go after you." He finally stated, glancing from one to the other. "Not to mention that Soundwave is in charge of monitoring Cybertron. You wouldn't make it within a mile of the air strip."

 

Titanium vented. "We're willing to take the chance. I know that I'll be high profile for the DJD… Due to my status." The seeker murmured, wings holding still on her back, though her frame was tensed. "I'm willing to spend a lot of credits." She added.

 

Spinister studied the two before him before responding. "I can easily procure a ship. Just claim I want to get into the slave business… Travel off world to bring back more servants for the glory of Megatron." The Scavenger growled low in his intake. "Stock it. But then you're on your own." He added.

 

Glancing at Titanium, Ratchet turned back to the red mech before him. "Thank you." He stated, gratitude thick in his voice.

 

The arial laughed. "Don't thank me yet. You still need to get off of Cybertron." He responded, turning off the lights again. "I'll contact you when I have something set up." The Scavenger murmured as he let the two out into the street.

 

Ratchet smiled as he and Titanium slipped out of the small store and back around the corner into the alley.

 

Seeing how tense the femme at his side was, Ratchet reached down and took her servo in his own, smiling faintly. "We'll make it." He murmured softly, leaning forward so that he could rest his forehelm against Titanium's, the femme's visor dimming as she interlaced their digits. "I want to be free… With you." She whispered.

 

Ratchet smiled and brushed the back of his servo against delicate white faceplates, placing a gentle kiss on her forehelm before pulling her along the alley back towards the Towers.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N: I just want to thank you all for reading this story. I was re-reading all your comments today and I was nearly in tears because of all the nice things people had to say about my story. It's been rough today, and seeing all those comments made me feel better. Love you all! 
> 
> I had made a poll over whether or not to make this a series, and the majority of voters had said yes. They'd also voted for a Sunstreaker/Sideswipe/Megatron. I'm hoping to make that happen sometime in the future.
> 
> Thank you all again. <3)

 

Each cycle that passed was full of nervous tension as Ratchet and Titanium waited for news from Spinister, the scavenger remaining silent.

 

Honestly, their biggest worry was for Barricade to return with orders to drag Ratchet away to be reprogrammed or re-auctioned, the two holding hope in the fact that it would take awhile for any filed complaints against them to reach anyone high enough to authorize it.

 

Finally, Titanium received a private message in a datapad that was dropped off along with a box of spare parts, which was, in Ratchet's opinion, clever. Soundwave was no doubt monitoring comm. Links and messages, so this was the safest way.

 

_Hangar B3, 1500 hours._

 

The time had come.

 

"I know she doesn't look like much, but I've fixed her up best I can, and she's fast."

 

Ratchet eyed the small freighter skeptically before looking over at the Scavenger. "Fast enough to outrun any pursuit?" He asked, the red ariel grinning widely at him. "Hopefully." He responded.

 

"Brilliant." Ratchet muttered under his vents as he glanced around the darkened bay, nervous and tense as he waited for the DJD to jump out of the shadows at any moment and drag them all to Megatron.

 

Following Titanium alongside the dark shape of the freighter, Ratchet pressed close to the only cover around as they headed for the ramp.

 

Spinister, reaching it first, punched a fist against the panel, a loud grating sound breaking the silence as the boarding ramp lowered with a screech.

 

Grinding his denta together as the noise ended with one final, condemning thunk, Ratchet glared at the copter standing next to the ramp, optics wide before giving a nervous little laugh. "Nothing too serious." He murmured, but his voice came out like that of a sparkling about to be caught doing something it shouldn't be doing, faceplates pale.

 

Opening his mouth to respond, Ratchet turned when he heard the sound of tires squealing, taking several steps back as half a dozen mechs appeared in the hangar doorway.

 

Moonlight glinted off weapons, and Ratchet felt his spark still in his chassis, servo absently seeking out Titanium's, gripping it tightly as he pulled her behind himself.

 

Spinister opened fire, firing round after round towards the mechs blocking the exit. "Go!" The Scavenger shouted, shoving Ratchet in the shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards towards the ramp. "You can still make it!"

 

Staring at the arial incredulously, Ratchet searched for a response, but Titanium beat him too it. "What about you?" She asked, voice urgent, frightened. "They'll kill you."

 

A sad smile spread across the other mech's lip components. "Femme, I died the day my friends did." He responded, crouching behind a nearby crate. "And I knew I would outlast my usefulness eventually… Now go. I can only hold them off so long." He murmured, rifles lighting up around them as the Decepticons fired upon them from behind crates and ships.

 

Ratchet gave Titanium a little push. "Go!" He ordered, turning to follow her up the ramp when Spinister grabbed his wrist, causing the Autobot to turn towards him and look into the wide, frightened optics of the Scavenger. "Come back to us… Come back for the others." The Scavenger pleaded softly, a leer taking over his faceplates. "Bring Megatron to his knees!"

 

The medic set his denta and gave a small nod before turning and hurrying up the ramp, punching the control to close it behind him and he hurried to the cockpit where Titanium's digits were already flying over all sorts of controls and buttons, though there was a nervous look on her faceplates. "I'm not sure I can fly this." She admitted.

 

Ratchet sat down next to her, his own digits working to power up the engines, which caused the ship to lurch before it rumbled to life. "I can." He responded confidently as he kept one audial on the firefight going on outside. He knew Spinister couldn't fight forever.

 

Slamming his fist against the console, Ratchet felt condensation collect on his brow, the Autobot pushing several levers and buttons before the ship lifted up into the air, allowing the medic a flare of relief. At least it could take off.

 

"Ratchet…" Titanium's voice was nervous from where she gripped the controls of the ship. "I'm going to hit them!" The seeker gasped, one servo going to gripped her lover's arm, visor overbright as she stared out the observation window at the Decepticons holding firm in the path of the freighter, still close enough to the ground that it would no doubt knock them over if not crush them entirely."I can't do that…"

 

"I can." Ratchet responded in a grim tone, gripping his side of the controls and shoving them forwards, setting the ship to its fastest, the freighter rocketing out of the hangar, and into the starlit sky when Ratchet jerked the controls back again.

 

"W-We made it." Titanium murmured, optics wide behind her visor, servos and wings shaking with the realization, but Ratchet shook his helm. "We're not out of the woods just yet." He responded softly.

 

Spinister grunted when the turbines of the freighter knocked him from his pedes, the red mech grinning widely as it moved, slowly at first, then faster and faster until it was shooting into the sky. "There ya go, mates!" He grinned, waving his blaster and letting out a howl of glee, opening fire again on the Decepticons closing in around him.

 

If there was one thing he did have control over, it was that his former "colleagues" wouldn't ever get a chance to bring him in alive. He would offline a warrior, better than any Decepticon could claim in the present world he had found himself suffering in.

 

"There's still hope! They'll get the others scattered around the universe!" Spinister screamed at the Decepticons around him, tossing aside the now-useless rifle, roaring in the built up hatred, bitterness and guilt, striking the first across the faceplates.

 

The Decepticons descended on him, screams and cries of pain peppering the air, the occasional shot being fired as the last Scavenger fought with denta, fists and talons, a wild gleam in his optics.

 

Spinister's frame burned with pain and exertion, condensation running in rivulets down his armour plating, energon and sparking wiring scattered around his frame as he fought with the desperation and hatred he had never known he had been nurturing.

 

He knew he couldn't last forever. But the blow that finally dragged him to his knees was unexpected, the Scavenger collapsing, gyros askew as he attempted to balance, one servo against the steel floor of the hangar beneath his knees. Slickened with the energon of both himself and his enemies, one servo clasping the Decepticon symbol over his chassis.

 

Venting heavily, Spinister forced his golden optics upwards as a mech approached him, blaster held tightly in an energon-soaked fist.

 

Spinister knew that he would fall, but he welcomed it. Welcomed the chance to see them all again. Their faces flashed through his processor as he watched his demise approaching… Krok, all authorative and mostly confident, always so wrapped up in being a good leader. Crankcase, griping and snapping at pretty much everything. Silly Flywheels, racing with the clouds in the sky… Fulcrum and Misfire, the two such an odd match, playing with little Nitro.

 

Feeling a warmth settle into his lines, Spinister took a deep vent, the scent of smoke, energon and ozone filling his sensors. The scent of revenge and desperation. Hope.

 

Golden optics opened as the Scavenger straightened upright, squarely looking the mech before him in the optics. "You think you won." Spinister coughed out, grinning almost madly up at the Enforcer standing before him. "But they'll come back. They'll make you suffer for what you've done." He murmured, smirking.

 

"They will be caught." Barricade responded, anger and a sadistic sense of amusement in his voice. "Then the universe will see what happens to those that defy the Decepticons." The Datsun added, lifting his blaster level with the Scavenger's helm, the kneeling mech remaining unflinching as his optics travelled up the length of the weapon to Barricade's. "Perhaps. But the seed has been planted. Megatron cannot hope to hold onto what he's created… Unless he kills us all." Spinister responded calmly.

 

Barricade snarled down at the wounded mech, denta flashing in the light from the moon. "Then I'll start with you." He hissed.

 

The hangar rang with the sound of a blaster discharging, followed by the soft crash of Spinister's rapidly-graying frame.

 

But there was also a whisper… A whisper of hope… Hope for a better future.

 

"They killed Spinister."

 

Ratchet glanced sidelong at Titanium as he navigated the ship through the open depth of space. "He did not wish to come." The medic responded gently. "There was no way we could've convinced him to come."

 

The seeker nodded, playing with her servos as she stared down at her lap. She still blamed herself for what had happened. Had it not been for her, the Autobots might not be enslaved. The Prime still online and fighting… Ratchet-

 

The feeling of a servo capturing her own drew Titanium from her thoughts, the femme looking up quickly at the Autobot beside her, smiling gently. "I wouldn't have met you." He stated softly, giving no explanation, but the former Decepticon knew what he meant.

 

Titanium and Ratchet stared at each other now, servos joined, optics, both covered and uncovered, locked as if by a physical force. "I love you." The seeker finally broke the silence, her voice a near whisper.

 

A soft smile spread over the Autobot's faceplates as his free servo moved up to cup the younger bot's chin, drawing her closer, gently. "I love you too." He murmured, just as their lips touched, the two giving into the kiss. Giving in to the full extent they had been too afraid to explore while on Cybertron. Lips moved against each other with a sense of urgent need, optics dimmed as servos ran over plating, tweaked wiring….

 

It was then, for the first time in a long time…

 

Titanium knew everything would be alright.


End file.
